The involvement of gremlin-1 in external stress-induced melanogenesis
External stress such as ultraviolet (UV) radiation and pollutants enhances skin pigmentation. In response to external stressors, skin cells such as keratinocytes, melanocytes, and fibroblasts, release secretory proteins to deliver signals to neighboring cells. Along with communication among skin cells, melanin production is a critical step for protecting skin cells against external stressors. It is well known that a variety of mediators such as alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone ( α-MSH), stem cell factor (SCF), keratinocyte growth factor, and fibroblast growth factor stimulate melanin synthesis [1].
Source: Journal of Dermatological Science - Category: Dermatology Authors: Ji Young Kim, Eun Jung Lee, Yu Jeong Bae, Sujin Park, Sung Hee Kim, Joohee Lee, Il Joo Kwon, Seol Hwa Seong, Jinu Lee, Tae-Gyun Kim, Sang Ho Oh Source Type: research